IEHBD My Little Christmas
by Lady K Rox
Summary: Sometimes we need to learn to share the things we love the most. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**IEHBD – MY LITTLE CHRISTMAS**

**CHAPTER 1**

_AUTHOR: Lady F. , TowandaBR_

DISCLAIMER: All of the characters of the series "Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World" are property of John Landis, Telescene, Coote/Hayes, DirecTV, New Line Television, Space, Action Adventure Network, Goodman/Rosen Productions, and Richmel Productions.

Very special thanks to Cris (our very kind translator), JL, and to all the people who read the _IEHBD_ series.

To all people who write or read _Fics_ keeping _TLW_ alive.

SPOILERS: OUT OF TIME

Based on fic _IF EVERYTHING HAD BEEN DIFFERENT_

IEHBD serie: "_The Duel", "The Lost Dream", "Gladiators", "A New Apprentice", "Home, Sweet Home"._

Also in Portuguese: _"STFD – Meu Primeiro Natal_" – The last chapter was originaly posted in 12/25/2004.

**

* * *

**

_Sometimes we need to learn to share the things we love the most._

**

* * *

**"Wow" - Tommy opened his eyes wide, astonish. With the boy in his shoulders Ned blushed while Veronica laughed when listening to the expression. In the last days the kid had chosen his next target to imitate. Malone. Then for all new or surprising things he said 'Wow'. 

Curiously they noticed that they had never taken Tommy to the Zanga's. Whenever they intended do it something happened, preventing them to go. So, enjoying the opportunity of Christmas getting close by, they all decided to go there. To perform some exchanges, to participate in one of the local parties, to expend some pleasant days with their friends, and to give, for the first time, the opportunity to the child to be in contact with other people.

And that 'wow' was exactly due to that. It seemed that all the zangas were gathered in the external area of the village, and Tommy was impressed with so much movement.

Men, women, senior, children. Ned put the boy in the ground, who ran closer to Veronica, taking her hand seeking for her protection.

The others looked him with concern, while the blond signaled everything was ok, so they moved forward. Malone hesitated, but a light nodding by her made him notice that this was one of those moments when the boy needed a special encouragement, and that only the young woman could offer it to him.

She lowered on her knees, being face to face with Tommy and caressing his face.

"Hey." - she spoke in a low voice - "What is it, Tommy?" - he hugged her and Veronica felt his little heart beating very fast. Then she observed the children of the village approaching them and she smiled.

"They are your friends. They want to play with you."

A boy three or four years older than Tommy offered his hand and a warm and hearty smile. Without letting go of Veronica, Tommy looked at him suspiciously, until slowly reached for the offered hand. The new boy took him and Veronica as followers until they were all surrounded by other children in a typical and wonderful bawling.

Some minutes later, Tommy left Veronica and abandoned himself completely to the amusement of being with a new group, under the vigilance of the older boys and girls who reassured Veronica that her boy would be safe and sound.

One of the children took a narrow leather strip and tied it around Tommy's head to hold back the black hair tuft so it didn't fall in the forehead. Tommy smiled at the innovation.

* * *

No matter how welcome they were, everybody had their obligations in the community, and the visitors also wanted to help. 

As always, Roxton and Malone joined the men in the heaviest tasks: fixing the shacks damaged by the recent rains and cutting the firewood.

Trying to show some courtesy the heiress offered help, just to feel bitterly sorry soon afterwards when they gave her a large shallow pan full of vegetables to be sliced and peeled.

"Damn it, Marguerite" - she muttered - "you had to volunteer for the work."

Challenger, Veronica and Summerllee were taken to a cottage where they meet a very weak woman and a newborn child crying a lot.

The healer explained.

"She gave birth a week ago and she's very ill. The child is not very strong either. The mother can't feed the baby and he cries a lot."

Challenger and Summerllee immediately went to the woman prostated at the bed, while Veronica took the small infant from the father's arms, nestling the baby close to herself.

The young woman caught a piece of clean cloth and soaked it in some of the milk donated by other breast-feeding women from the village.

Soon afterwards she carefully took it to the child's lips.

Slowly he calmed down and started to suck the milk from the cloth until feeling satisfied.

There he stayed cuddled. Veronica tried to put him back on his father's lap, but it made the baby resumed his cryinng and she nestled him again close to herself.

She decided to leave Summerllee and Challenger with their work, then she covered the skinny small body with a light blanket.

"Let's take a walk, little one."

She couldn't know that a special someone was observing her when she left the shack and started to walk around the village.

Tommy smiled when he saw Veronica leaving the cottage.

"Mama" - he screamed amid the other children's racket, but the woman didn't listen to him and proceeded in another direction, smiling a lot while rocking that unknown child.

Tommy still called her once again, even in higher pitch this time, but with all the noise around them it was impossible for her to listen to him.

The boy stayed with his new friends, who were taking very good care of him, but he looked everywhere trying to find Veronica.

And whenever she appeared, he tried to get her attention, but his friends always would take him to another place.

And she seemed not to look to him. She was always with that infant in her arms.

When he finally got rid of the other children, he sat down in a trunk besides Marguerite, who was as irritated as he was.

"Pay attention, little brat, never ever volunteer yourself for anything. There will always be somebody to accept the offer, do you understand?"

Tommy shook his head with sadness.

**

* * *

**The heat was unbearable once more in the plateau. 

The children of Zanga village were also gathered around Ned Malone and Tommy, close to a fountain. Some children ran, and some other played in separate.

Sitting in the ground, they told stories, and spent a nice afternoon with their new small friend.

Tommy was having fun, of course he didn't understand most of the story-telling things, but he also laughed seeing the children laughing.

Ned tried to distract the boy, who had been a little bit stressed since their arrival to the village.

After some time, Veronica got closer to them. She still carried the baby in her arms.

"Having fun, boys?" – she asked, lowering down between Ned and Tommy. She smiled when they both shook their heads in agreement. She kissed their cheeks soundly.

"Take it." - She gave a pot to the journalist with some kind of red jelly - "Could you feed him with it?"

"Sure." - Ned gave her a smack and she smiled to Tommy. He hesitated, but when the baby whimped Veronica decided it was time to put him in new cloths and stood up to continue with her chores, getting away from Tommy but being followed by a sad pair of jet black eyes.

Tommy's eyes finally turned to the pot, licking his lips in antecipation, anxious to proof the tasty new. Ned tried it first, and approved it.

"Hum..." - he teased Tommy - "it's tasty."

The other children were also eating that delicious dessert. Even so they caught Malone for the arm.

"Well, it seems that it is my time to tell a story."

The children ate their candies, while Ned began a new storie.

"A long time ago,..." - He diffused to pick what he would give for Tommy, who already was legs-crossed as a little indian, opening his mouth towards the candy.

"How long?" - A girl asked curiously, in the Zanga's language.

Ned interrupted the narrative abruptly as he looked at the girl, again stopping with the spoon in the air. - "What do you mean by 'how long'?"

"When does the story begin?" - Another boy asked, trying to explain to Ned the girl's question, who now seemed to understand.

"I don't know... in gods' era..."

"Ahhhh!" - An understanding murmur was heard, and Malone smiled because it was now clear enough to continue.

Meanwhile, the spoon was in the air, and Tommy followed it only with his eyes while his mouth remained open, waiting for the spoonful.

Ned patiently returned to pick to the pot, while diffusing a little more of the red delight, getting it ready again to serve to the boy.

Again Tommy waited, while Ned continued the story.

"... then, the young knight of the castle, caught his horse and left, in search of new adventures, and..." - It went going to Tommy's direction, who once again desired to prove it, opening his mouth.

"How was the knight?" - Another child questioned.

"How?" - Ned stopped the course of the spoon once again - "He was strong, tall, and as I've already said he was very kind..."

Tommy accompanied again only with a glance the countless questions that followed for more some time.

But at each done question, Tommy launched a totally irritated glance towards the children, and then to Ned, but he didn't say anything.

It was not until the seventh or eighth frustrated time in that he had wished to try the private candy that he was so irritated that finally he screamed stridently.

"Waaaaaaaanna!

He got up half unbalanced and, removing the pot from Malone's hand, he left, walking hard in the dust, muttering incomprehensible things.

The young man called him three, four times, but the kid not even once looked back. When he tried to get up to go for the boy, the children pulled him down and filled him with questions. He still cared for looking in the direction Tommy was going. When Summerlee waived for him assuming the task of watching the boy, Ned became distracted with the thousands of 'reasons' being asked by their small friends.

Tommy came out walking, still angry at with the journalist and at those children who ate their candies, while he could have not even still proof his first spoon.

He looked around, and without having anything to do nor anywhere to go, he started to run behind anyone who passed around him, extending his arms with the pot in his hand.

"Waaaaaanna!

People laughed, thinking how cute he was, but they didn't understand what he really wanted.

After some time without success, he sat down by the ground, in the center of the village, and began to eat the candy with his hands.

But something happened. That delicacy had became pure water, and it was hot.

"...Waaaaaanna..." - Tommy said discouraged, almost silently to himself, looking at the pot.

Tommy licked the finger that he had just dived in the candy, and he made faces, soon spitting it all. He screamed again and threw the pot far from him, making a long face.

Suddenly, a hand touched the boy's tanned shoulders, giving him a new pot, larger and at the ideal temperature.

Tommy looked up, and smiled. It was Summerlee, saving the day, once again.

"You're cranky today, aren't you? More than usual, I have been noticing, small fighting cock...".

The boy smiled pleasantly to the botanist, and they sought shelter in the shadow of a tree. They sat down there and Tommy could finally eat the jelly that Summerlee proudly feed him.

**

* * *

**Veronica was waking up slowly, after hearing a noise somewhere over there. Her eyes were still closed, and her body close to Ned's, but she wanted to move, she wanted to identify that noise. In a certain way she struggled against sleep and the fatigue of one full day of work. 

The Zangas respected and admired the exploirers a lot and their visit was more than welcome, so they offered them the best reception and the best sheltering available.

Marguerite stayed in Assai's shack who, as Chief's daughter, had her privileges, which pleased the heiress a lot.

Summerllee, Challenger and Roxton shared the lodgings of the wise men with whom they talked animatedly.

Veronica and Malone received a small cottage with a thick and soft mat. For their surprise, they found a wicker curtain creating a second smaller adapted room, where there was a very small mat for...

"Tommy?" – she whispered and then felt Malone's hand caressing her hair.

"Shh... he's sleeping." - he answered in the same tone.

She was slumbering back to sleep once more when she heard the same noise again, now lowder – "Sleeping?"

Both opened their eyes and stayed still. In fact, there was a noise.

They got up slowly and head towards the other corner tenuously illuminated by a torch fixed on the wall.

The two heads looked around carefully in order to see from where the strange noise came. They saw Tommy trying to play a flute.

"...Fuuuu..."

They decided to stay there observing a little bit more, they won't interrupt the kid just to make him sleep. After some time they were surprised by what they saw next.

The boy, in underwear, moved away the small flute made of wood and began to hum something.

"Ahh... oh... ahhh ohh ahh... ahhh ahhhh ihhhh eieieieieieie i-i-i..."

Both were static and surprised.

"pi pi pi..."

While they heard the distracted boy's concert, lying with the face in the pillow of leaves, Veronica didn't get to speak anything. Looking intrigued, Ned finally prodded her.

"I know this song."

All of a sudden Veronica knew what he was talking about.

"Marguerite." - they said together.

They identified the song as the one the heiress always hummed during her bath.

Ned looked at the young woman and whispered. - "Shall we dance, milady?" - She smiled affectionately and hugged him.

Tommy seemed to have sensed the arrival of the two, and got up abruptly. He had reddish wet eyes. The smile in Veronica and Ned's lips disappeared completely, when noticing his lips twisting to start to cry. Considering the boy's pained expression, it seemed he had been crying for some time.

"What is it?" - Ned asked to the child.

Veronica approached and stooped down besides the boy. She was observing Tommy, who had lowered his head, hiding the face among his tinny hands. The girl tried to hug him, but the kid stretched out an arm, avoiding her.

"Tommy, what happened? Tell me, sweetie, what's wrong?"

Ned observed him who, unyielding, hid the face among the knees while Veronica had an afflicted glance. He approached and then the boy threw himself in the young man's neck, ignoring the saddened look the blond gave for Malone.

"When he calms down we'll see what's happening." - the journalist said -"It's still dark. Go back to sleep. I'll stay with him."

"Take him to the other mat, Ned." - she temporarily resigned - "It has more space. I'll stay here."

Malone blinked at her and got up with Tommy firmly clinging to him.

"Alright. Don't be so anguished. We'll find out what's the problem in the morning."

Veronica saw her two boys return for the mat where Tommy, still holding to Malone, sobbed a little before falling sleep. She, by her time, tried to accommodate herself as well as possible over the small mat, but, without managing to get back to sleep, observed the sunrise.

_**TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	2. Chapter 2

**IEHBD – MY LITTLE CHRISTMAS**

**CHAPTER 2**

_AUTHOR: Lady F. , TowandaBR_

DISCLAIMER: All of the characters of the series "Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World" are property of John Landis, Telescene, Coote/Hayes, DirecTV, New Line Television, Space, Action Adventure Network, Goodman/Rosen Productions, and Richmel Productions.

**

* * *

**Called by Challenger, Veronica left Ned and Tommy before they woke up. With the scientist and Summerllee's care, the woman had gotten significantly better, as well as the child, but they still needed to rest and the blond had performed her helper task very well in the previous day. She wished to stay besides Tommy, specilly after the episode of the previous hours, but at the same time she couldn't refuse to help. For the first time, her boy would have to wait. 

Holding the child's hand, Malone left the cottage, but soon he was surrounded by the children who wanted to hear more of his stories. The small kid was immediately irritated and, releasing the journalist's hand, ran towards Marguerite, some meters ahead.

Tommy sat down besides the heiress, who while peeling fresh vegetables of the vegetable garden ate tasty fruits from a very colorful basket. Her glance denounced that she was either very irritated or very bored. From the corner of her kin eye, she noticed her new companion, but continued eating, and chopping.

From his turn, the concentrated boy looked at her, shaking his head back and forth, seeming to want to be noticed. Then his look went down to the delicious basket. Slowly he extended his tinny hand and when he would take a big mango...

"Hey!" - the brunette slapped his hand lightly and he quickly flinched. - "Where I come from, borrowing something without asking is called robbery!"

Tommy sigh heavily, and groaned heartly.

"Ite."

"Yes, I know, little brat. Even a person your age deserves some fun."

Marguerite continued eating and cutting, and Tommy remained there, very quiet, still observing her and scrubbing the tiny hand that stung a little bit.

After some minutes, she put two and two together. She looked at him, and he made the same to her - "Do you want to make a deal?"

Tommy continued to observe, willing to hear her - "I share my snack with you, but only if you promise not to tell the others what I will do afterwards."

The child frowned, he didn't understand what she said, but the sounds of the words seemed interesting to him.

"Yeaaaah."

"It's simple, you only have to keep your mouth shout!" - Marguerite looked around, checking if nobody watched her. She caught the big pan where there were the to-be-cut vegetables and threw them in the forest, behind the place where they were.

She returned fast, with an open smile, and sat down, cleaning the hands one in the other. - "All set."

Tommy had his mouth watering, with a cheerful expression, as soon as he noticed Marguerite cutting several slices of a big mango, with which he was fascinated. She then extended the pan to the boy, who busied his two hands with the hugiest pieces he could find.

"Gluttonous." - the heiress laughed.

While they ate, Marguerite finally observed a thing that she still hadn't noticed. Why was he there, and not with Veronica or Ned?

"Hey, little brat." - Tommy looked at her very cheerful, with his mouth dirty of mango. - "Where is Ned?"

The boy rested the slice in the plate on her lap, and looked at the middle of the village. He seemed to be sad. Marguerite thought it strange. - "And Veronica? Where is she?"

He sighed heavily.

"Alright." - she said, seeming to understand, but she didn't want to talk about it. It was rare what was happening in that moment: Tommy, without Ned or Veronica around him.

"Let's change the subject" - she saw that the boy seemed to become sad little by little - "Now, what are we going to eat?" – she asked, opening wide eyes, very entertaining for the boy who laughed at her - "We can eat all what we want, there is nobody watching us." - she whispered, and he, as always, paid attention to each word.

"BOO!" - She startled him and they both laughed heartily.

"Then we'll do the following. If somebody asks, I'll say that I cannot do anything today because I'm taking care of you - eye for an eye. But don't you dare to make me run behind you or ask for lap. You know that the only reason for me to do that is to be away from the tasks that are not appropriate to a lady like me, understood?"

"Ood." – he accomplished with what the lady had said while nodding his head vigorously.

And stretching out her hand for the boy, they went to seek something funny to do, what wasn't difficult when they saw...

"Lord John Roxton!" - the heiress smiled when seeing the sweat man, shirtless, trying to lift a trunk with the help of two natives.

"Silence, Marguerite..." - he muttered -"...this is heavy."

"See, little brat? You must concentrate in cerebral activities, things that will make you a gentleman and not a fool as a certain lord that we knew."

"Ox."

"You too, Tommy?"

Suddenly Roxton loosened the trunk, and the natives screamed at the same time they falled to the ground. Marguerite and Tommy rolled of laughing of the scene, mainly of the embarrassed man who was furious, running towards they both. He stopped in front of them with the hands by his waist, angry.

"What are you laughing at? Don't you have anything to do? Because I do!".

Marguerite made an effort to stop laughing.

"Of course we have, we are making it right now!" – And again she started laughing.

Roxton was very embarassed, the people stopped over there and they looked at them without understanding.

In a few of seconds, John helped again the two poor fellows with the trunk, but without success, that laughter was distracting him.

"It was all I needed..." – He thought.

Marguerite spoke something that the hunter didn't understand in the Zanga's language, and people around began to laugh also, looking at John and laughing, like Marguerite and Tommy.

"What the hell is that?" - He released the trunk and the two native fell again. - "What did you said to them?"

Marguerite made an effort to stop laughing - "I said that if they imitated us, you would get to lift the trunk easier."

In less than one minute, a crowd gathered in turn of Roxton, the trunk and the two natives, helping the men to finish the work while Marguerite took Tommy, and they ran away.

**&&&**

The heiress and the kid rested below an enormous and secular fig tree. Its shadow gave them an immense relief in the scalding summer on the plateau.

"Did you see his face, little brat? And all those people!"

Tommy laughed. He seemed to remind.

"But the best was when he was there, and those natives arriving, and laughing too, and so..."

"NOW YOU WILL NOT ESCAPE ME, DAMN YOU!" – they didn't know where from, but John Roxton suddenly appeared coming from nowhere.

"RUN!" - Marguerite rose and ran, followed by Tommy.

The two ran desperately. Marguerite didn't know if she laughed or if she stopped to help the child that little by little was falling behind.

Roxton went running as fast as his tired body allowed in that moment. He was almost reaching Tommy when a branch appeared.

"I got you!" - Roxton stretched out his arms and then bent down, almost touching the boy's underware, when he tripped, falling heavily in the ground.

"Come back here, Tommy!"

Roxton looked at the panted boy running, laughing, and looking back. But there is not only one branch in the jungle.

The hunter only had time to see the small legs swung in the air, and the cloud of dust arising slowly.

Roxton began to laugh sarcastically. - "Well done!"

Marguerite saw the two tumbles, and reduced her speed, but continued running. But, as we said before, in the jungle there are not only two branches. There are always one more. And the third one was exactly there and it was Marguerite's turn to fall down.

**

* * *

**"Talk to me, little rascal." 

Tommy opened his eyes slowly, and heard the hunter and Marguerite discussing. They were very concerned. The man seemed to want to cry, and the heiress was not too different.

"He woke up, you fool, now we'll see the consequences!"

Tommy saw them by his side, and wanted to get up, but he wasn't able to.

"Let's help him." - the man said.

"No! He may have broken something!"

"But how will we know it?" - he whined.

"Talk to me, little brat, does it hurt here?" - Marguerite touched his arm and Tommy didn't move, he just observed. She repeated the same procedure with his legs, feet, belly, head, and all his body. Roxton enjoyed to see a new doctor being born in the jungle.

Therefore they began a new discussion. In a few seconds, Tommy rose slowly and cleaned the dust of his aching small body. There was silence.

"Now, get ready..." - Roxton was already shrinking and covering his ears waiting for Tommy's cry.

Marguerite would make the same, but Tommy was faster and gave her a very tight hug. As always, he flinched the maximum that he could, and hid the face in her chest. He shivered.

The heiress was surprised, not knowing what to do. Roxton signaled for her to hug Tommy in return, and was obeyed.

"Everything is fine, little brat, everything will be fine..." - She rocked him in her arms, concerned, while Roxton breathed diminished.

"At least he didn't cry."

Marguerite laughed a little nervous.

* * *

During the day Tommy still played with his new children friends, but now he refused to get away from the brunette. Whenever she threatened leaving him, the boy would run catching her skirt. 

Veronica got closer with the small lunch plate for him. Since a while she had been trying to make him to feed himself alone, just observing him while he was, among other things, making a great mess. It was a way to make him a little bit more independent and he seemed to enjoy the mess, but that day she would prefer to feed him in the mouth. He was starving and ate quickly, but never gave up in admitting how much he had been wishing for that moment he just kept a frowned expression. The blond still tried to play and talk a little with him, but after he was done, he just run away towards Marguerite. Veronica started to go after him, but felt a warm hand on her shoulder.

"Challenger needs you, dear." - Summerllee smiled - "She will take care of him very well."

"All right, professor." - she became sad seeing the boy standing back with Marguerite.

**

* * *

**_At dusk..._

Roxton had informed Ned and Veronica that Tommy would be with him and Marguerite. Even so, while he helped Tommy to pile up some wood stubs in the ground, the heiress seemed afflicted, looking to the entrance of the tent.

"Any sign of those two"?

"No. I informed them that they would not need to worry, since the kid would be with us."

She sat down in the chair, with the hands by her head.

"I have a terrible headache!"

"Do you wanna me to prepare something for you?"

She looked seriously at him. - "No! You just wonder about the origin of the headache, and the problem will be solved!"

"Marguerite..."

"Shut up Roxton, I am ill!"

"You are like this since I know you. Is it starting to get better?" - The last word, with emphasis, made Marguerite to look for Tommy, who had stopped what he was doing and looked at the couple.

"I'll take some herb to make a tea for you."

Roxton was already leaving when Veronica and Ned entered, almost colliding with the hunter.

"Oh, you're there."

"Finally you appeared." - Marguerite said getting up, with the hands by her waist. It appeared her tension had returned.

Ned and Veronica stared at each other.

"I'm sorry, Marguerite, I was with the children that occupied me all day, I didn't have a choice. And Veronica needed to assist the newborn child."

"Thank you for having taken care of him" - the blond said. She looked at Tommy who got up slowly. She smiled, kneeling down, extending her arms for him.

"Come on, sweetie."

Tommy turned his back to her, immediately holding on Marguerite's legs.

"But..." - Veronica got up - "What's happening, Tommy?"

"I think you have a problem." – Roxton concluded.

"What do you mean?"

"Dear Ned and Veronica, I think you don't need explanations, do you?"

They looked at each other discouraged. - "All right. When you finish to play, could you take Tommy to our hut?" - Veronica left slowly.

"Let's do as follows: leave him here with Marguerite tonight..."

"What?" - the heiress interrupted.

"Shut up, Marguerite." – the hunter whispered among his teeth. Then he continued. - "Tomorrow, early in the morning, we are going back home and I am sure that everything will be resolved."

"But..." - Veronica protested.

"Go with Ned, Veronica. Have a good night of sleep and let Tommy to calm down a little. Everything will be solved, my friend." - said him, winking at her warmly.

"Alright, then... Good night, swettie… Thank you two" - said the young woman, leaving crestfallen. Ned followed her.

"I'll take some diapers and clothes for him. It seems that he will spend the night with you..."

"With me?" – the heiress seemed shocked – "Why not with you?"

"Because I don't know if you noticed, miss Krux, it's you that he wants, and not me."

**

* * *

**"...you know, you and I are very close these last days, this is not good... Look, you're imitating me in everything, you sing my music, eat what I eat, you irritate who I irritate, and... ok, leaving aside the fact of being stubborn... Soon in a while people will think we have some kind of relationship." – She told him, in a good mood. 

"...When I was a child, I looked at those children that had the attention of everybody and I envied them... Of course, I couldn't do anything, not even my parents were with me..." - she averted her eyes. She didn't want to remember the past. - "Look. What I'm trying to show you is that you have everything in you hands, don't waste that, Tommy... they love you, and you love them. That's enough."

Marguerite had said everything in deep meditation, distracted, looking to nothing. In the end, she finally noticed that Tommy observed her very quiet, with his head leaned by her shoulder. The heiress blushed. - "Anyway, don't chat about this conversation with anyone."

Tommy stayed all night with Marguerite and she truly hated it. The kid had a restless sleep and whined a little. He held on to the heiress and she hardly could move.

Sometimes he would mutter - "Mama."

After sometime observing the child, she could feel what he was feeling, noticing his smart little eyes. Even in the dark, she could see them – and they were more active than ever.

Tommy extended his arm, whimpering something, and than rested his hand on the heiress chin. It was a new kind of caress, and Marguerite suspected it had originated from Tommy spying on her and Roxton when they were alone. She smiled involuntarily, nibbled lightly the boys hand, what tickeld the boy.

When he finally slept she sighed, her body aching a little, but finally found comfort again.

"...Tomorrow will be a long day…"

_**TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	3. Chapter 3

**IEHBD – MY LITTLE CHRISTMAS**

**CHAPTER 3**

_AUTHOR: Lady F. , TowandaBR_

DISCLAIMER: All of the characters of the series "Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World" are property of John Landis, Telescene, Coote/Hayes, DirecTV, New Line Television, Space, Action Adventure Network, Goodman/Rosen Productions, and Richmel Productions.

**

* * *

**Veronica was surprised when she saw Summerllee, obviously awaiting for her, when she left the cottage. 

"Good morning, dear."

"Good morning, professor. Why are you here so early?"

"I decided that I would like the company of a lady, and you are the chosen one." – he joked.

"I'm so sorry, but I need to get Tommy."

"Leave the little one with Marguerite." – Summerllee smiled - "She is doing a great job."

"I know, professor, but he seems so strange..."

"He's jealous, dear, that is obvious."

"Why?"

"Because Tommy thinks he is sharing something that always belonged only to him." - the biologist smiled, offering his supporting arm to the girl. - "Let's walk around, dear."

It was when Summerllee took Veronica for a long walk.

* * *

With Tommy firmly clinging to her hand, Marguerite left Assai's hut. She looked really tired and her muscles were aching (effects of a badly slept night). 

She looked to the kid, who seemed as exhausted as she was. The hair tuft was all disveheled, his face wrinkled and he yawned.

"See what you did, little brat?" - Tommy flinched, noticing that at this time the heiress was really angry.

"I, Marguerite Krux, changing dirty diapers. You will behave yourself or I will kick you in the ass and send you back to your 'mama' without blinking an eye.

She pulled him by the hand and the boy ran with his short legs trying to follow the heiress's fast steps.

Marguerite not even hesitated. Dragging Tommy, she entered inside the hut where the hunter was snoring.

She looked at him envying his calm sleep.

"He's all yours!" – she yelled at him, practically throwing the boy over John, who imediately woke up.

"What the hell is going on?" - He woke up dizzy, with the child drumming the fingers over his thorax, facing him, while he saw only the shadow of the woman leaving the place quickly. - "MARGUERIIIIIIIIIIIITE!"

Roxton caught his pants, wearing them over his drawers. He put on his shirt, not even giving himself the chance to button it, and taking Tommy as if he was a potatoes' sack, started running behind Marguerite, who was almost in the other side of the village walking fast and angry.

"Marguerite, calm down."

"Calm down? You left that kid with me and put me down. Do you know how much did I sleep last night? NOTHING."

"But he wanted you."

"And you did not even try to help. You slept as a king. Now it's you who will take care of him, and don't dare to look for me!" – She pointed for them - "None of you two."

Marguerite left, stepping hard, while the boys exchanged glances.

"You two were lying together and staying awake? I envy you, kid."

Having no option, John took the child on his lap, and they walked back to his hut.

"From your look you didn't eat anything yet, did you, young boy? Not even awake completely... Let's take care of it... So, tell me one thing: does she use night-gown when she sleeps?"

"Oh, thank God!" - Marguerite thought, seeing the botanist smoking his pipe calmly - "Summerllee!" - she screamed, running towards him.

"Oh, Marguerite! Good morning. What happened?"

"A catastrophe!"

"Good Lord, tell me!" - Arthur got scared.

Breathlessness, she got the man's attention.

"Me... Tommy... Tommy and me..."

The botanist looked reliefed, seeming to know about what she would complain.

"But you're overreacting, Marguerite. Tommy only wants to be close to somebody that pays him attention."

"Overreacting?... Wait a minute. I don't pay attention to the little monkey, you're wrong!"

Summerlee wanted to laugh, but restrained himself.

"Well, then, what bothers you so much is not just the fact that he only wants to be with you?"

Marguerite would say something, but she decided to silence.

"Arthur, I would prefer that you did not make fun of me. I am not his nanny! What is special about me? Honey? Different spoons? Bananas!"

"It's not that, my dear. He only saw in you the figure that he wasn't finding in Veronica sometime ago. He's trying to punish her for having, in his opinion, shared her attention with another child."

"HA!" - she debauched - "Don't make me cry, I'm deeply touched, but yesterday night I didn't sleep not even one minute in peace."

Getting closer to them, Roxton didn't control his laughter. - "How does Marguerite do, young boy?"

"Rrrrrrroooooooo" - Tommy seemed to imitate a snore. Roxton couldn't contain his laughter.

"There he is, professor! The impertinent little guy! I don't snore!"

"HA! HA!" - the hunter provoked - "You say that you don't snore, but I have an absolutely reliable witness here that proves the opposite… Right, little rascal?"

"Rrrrrrroooooooo" - the kid agreed.

**

* * *

**

Challenger made a great work with the young mother and her baby. He provided valuable instructions that would allow both of them to have a fast recovery.

On that morning, the residents of the treehouse said goodbye to their friends of the Zanga village, replete of gifts and groceries that they put in a stretcher. As a little king, Tommy soon accommodated himself over it, being carried on by Malone and Roxton.

After some time, he decided to walk. The men hardly had time for stopping and he was already jumping a little unbalanced from the stretcher.

The boy ran for the heiress, holding her hand. Everybody noticed that subreptitiously he was pulling Marguerite in a way that she would be side-by-side with Veronica, and he would be between them. Sometimes he slid his small hand in the blond's hand. When he noticed that she lowered her eyes for him, the kid obviously swang the heiress's hand, opening a smile to Marguerite.

All, especially Summerllee, held a smile when noticing his intention.

When they arrived to the treehouse, they prepared the meal. It was Ned who brought the boy's food, who immediately took the plate from Ned's hands and went to sit down close to Marguerite, taking care that he had gotten the other's attention about what he was to do.

**

* * *

**The days before Christmas were, at the same time, lively and mysterious. 

Lively because evebody joined to decorate the treehouse for the party that approached.

Roxton and Malone brought a small tree that had been reached by a lightning during the storm, almost six months before. Its branches were very dry and no leaf was left. They decorated it with pieces of fabrics, dry leaves, flowers, and everything that could make it more cheerful.

Tommy contributed lending his puppets that were properly put in the largest branches. He also insisted to put some small spoons.

Marguerite made strings of popcorns to fall from the branches, but they mysteriously kept disappearing from the tree. She then renewed the strings, but they continued disappearing.

Challenger polished a piece of copper, which Malone cut in a star format to put on the top of the tree.

Roxton cut some rustic stubs of wood, that Veronica painted using vegetables inks done by Summerllee.

And then it was mysterious because when they left Zanga village, they all brought packages whose contents were not seen by the other ones. And when they were back to the treehouse, ever then and again they would hid themselves to organize the gifts for their friends, hoping their surprises would not be ruined.

And the treehouse started to have restricted areas to the concerned residents in preserving their secrets.

Challenger prohibited anyone from entering his laboratory. The only one that he took there was Tommy, who seemed to have became his accomplice.

Marguerite locked her room, and would just tolerate the boy, even so because he followed her inside the room whenever he noticed that the blond was around.

Roxton had his great wood box by the base of the treehouse, properly locked with a padlock, and from which key he never got separated. Once again the only to know his secrets was the newest resident - Tommy.

Summerllee kept the presents in his room. As well as Challenger, he knew that just a person would dare to enter there, having recommended him the opposite. On those occasions, anyone who passed outside would listen to a lively conversation between that senior gentleman and a child whose language nobody could practically understand.

Malone had more problems keeping his hiding place. His room was shared with Veronica and it was not an appropriate local to keep his secrets. After a lot of thinking, he found a place closer to the area of the elevator's machinery, whose maintenance was his responsibility. Because of the hydraulic principle of the elevator, a single and small space had stayed dry. And Ned caught Tommy, who hid Ned's presents in that corner.

Without option in her own house, Veronica spread her gifts in very visible places. If they were not so concerned in seeking hidden objects, the other residents wouldn't have difficulties in finding out the gifts that they would receive from their hostess.

In one of the rarely moments that Veronica had the luxury of napping by the couch of the common room, Tommy pulled Marguerite, who was sat meters ahead, sewing some garments for Christmas. For some moments he stayed by her side, until he slowly approached from where the blond was.

Marguerite looked at him over her seam.

Slowly he prodded the girl's arm slightly, but she didn't move. He prodded a second time, a little stronger and, when she turned slowly, he quickly lowered, trying to avoid to be seen. Veronica opened her eyes slightly and saw Marguerite trying to contain her laughter, at the same time that a hair thuft lowered close to her.

The young woman closed her eyes again, felt diminished by thinking that he had not been discovered, and retreated. Finally he caught a ramrod and got closer to Veronica again, using it for prodding her from a safe distance.

Slowly it prodded her again with the small cane. When there was no reaction, he pondered it even more and increased the pressure a little. When feeling it, Veronica opened her eyes, and he ran at the same time for Marguerite, hugging her now he was sure Veronica was looking.

Despite finding that behavior curious, and after Summerllee had explained her why he was acting in that way, Veronica was still not comfortable. The boy was so attached to her and she missed being as close to him as she was only two or three days ago.

**

* * *

**But Tommy slept, and the unexpected happened. 

As always, it was enough to put him in his cradle, that he would cover himself and hug his lion Edward, sleeping soon afterwards.

Veronica stopped in the entrance of the small room, observing the boy, missing his hugs and his affection.

Ned arrived from the back, embracing her by the waist.

"He's stubborn, isn't he?"

"To whom he took that after?"

"You."

"I'm not stubborn."

"No?" - He said pulling her closer, already nibbling her earlobe.

"I sense you don't have good intentions, Ned." – She whispered.

"You're wrong, I have the best intention of all." - They kissed each other passionately, already feeling the desire dominating them. Without interrupting their kiss, Malone carried her in his arms until their bed, where they pulled the sheet on. It was a habit they had acquired along the time to avoid any curious eyes.

"Ned, stop." - She whispered, badly controlling herself.

"Is there something wrong?"

"We have company." – she uncovered the sheet and they could see the boy, eyes shut, moving up towards them and finally getting accomodated hugging Veronica.

"He didn't do that since we left him with Roxton and Marguerite."

"And when he came for our bed was always in the middle of the night." -he complained.

"I'm sorry, Ned." - She caressed the young man's face.

"It's alright." – he smiled, kissing her smoothly - "But I had decided that I would sleep snuggled against you and I'll do that, even if have to make a sandwich. Come on, boy."

And Ned and Veronica slept snuggled against each other, having in the middle a very jealous little boy.

_**TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	4. Chapter 4

**IEHBD – MY LITTLE CHRISTMAS**

**CHAPTER 4**

_AUTHOR: Lady F. , TowandaBR_

DISCLAIMER: All of the characters of the series "Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World" are property of John Landis, Telescene, Coote/Hayes, DirecTV, New Line Television, Space, Action Adventure Network, Goodman/Rosen Productions, and Richmel Productions.

* * *

After sleeping the whole night hugged to Veronica, Tommy woke up and smiled at her warmly, in which she was returned.

"Wow." - he said suddenly seeming to notice that he was in the wrong place.

Pushing Malone and the young woman aside, he jumped from the bed with unfriendly mien.

He went until the closed room's door and stood up there waiting until the journalist got up to open it.

"You definitely is a blockhead."

Stepping hard, the child went until the Marguerite's room, that was closed. He sat down there, with his arms crossed and frowned face.

He saw Veronica going to the kitchen and decided that it was time to be noticed. Closing his small fist, he knocked at the heiress' door strongly.

"Iiiitttttteeeeeee!"

The boy stopped screaming and looked towards the blond, trying to discover if he had attracted her attention. Aparently she continued her tasks without even giving a glance to his side. Still more nervous, he knocked again.

"IIIIITTTTTEEEEEE!"

"Tommy" - reproved Veronica - "You are going to wake up everybody."

"IIIIITTTTTEEEEEE!"

When the door opened abruptly, the boy lost his balance and almost fell down.

"I don't believe." – the heiress said, closing her dressing-gown and looking furious.

But Tommy not even blinked an eye. He quickly entered in her room and pulled Marguerite inside, he himself closing the door.

Veronica decided that it was enough. One thing was to try to provoke her, but now he had went too far.

She began to walk towards Marguerite's room, with the firm intention to take him for a walk and to apologize to the heiress.

She was almost there when Marguerite came out. The heiress just directed her speech to Ned, who was coming close.

"Hold that kid, Malone." – she pointed to the child who followed her. Then she took the blond by the arm - "You want him and I don't. So, we need to talk."

The two women went to the kitchen-table, where they started to whisper while somebody very curious tried to pay attention in what they were saying. In the end, the women went to different directions.

The heiress went to the boy and took his hand.

"Ok, brat. I already negotiated it with your 'mama'. From now on you are all mine."

Malone stayed still, without understanding it, until he noticed the blond and the brunette exchanging discreet blinks while Veronica pulled him by the hand for a conversation that she would also have with the other residents as soon as they woke up.

* * *

Marguerite didn't release the child not even for a minute. Wherever she went she took him with her. If he wanted to play alone or with some of the other residents of the treehouse, she moved away making him to follow her.

He saw Challenger relaxed seating in a tree stub with a pot and the mold, blowing bubbles. A smile illuminated Tommy's face when George greeted him.

"Hello, noble gentleman. It's a beautiful day, isn't it?"

He tried to run for the scientist, being stopped by the heiress. He became angry; however he had no option except for being dragged by her.

On the way to the vegetable garden, Summerllee was fumbling with the earth. It seemed that the botanist was amusing himself a lot. Tommy looked the large quantity of soft ground, ready to turn over and over on it, however once again Marguerite drove him to another place.

"Very good." - they listened Roxton's voice and they went for him. They meet the hunter further on, with a lot of traps around him.

"What is 'very good', Lord Roxton?" - the heiress asked.

"My traps. They're perfect." - he laughed and talked to the child, obviously the interested party. - "It's really funny, boy."

"Ox!"

When Tommy tried to get closer to the man, Marguerite caught him by the shoulder.

"Excuse us, John, we have a lot of things to do." – and there they were, boy and woman.

'Tim, clang, tum, pling, plang', they heard. Running to the direction of that strange sound, they saw Malone playing upon an improvised xylophone made of spoons of several sizes, tied into a string among two trees.

"One!" - He screamed, extending his small hands towards the journalist.

"Hi, Tommy. I borrowed your spoons; I'll put them back later."

"See you later, Malone." - Marguerite said, already pulling the almost desperate boy.

And in the middle of the afternoon she took him for a walk in the forest.

"FFFFFFIIIIIIUUUUUUUUUU!"

The heiress and the boy looked to where the whistle had came from.

"What are you doing there?" - the brunette laughed when seeing Veronica on the top of a mango tree, peeling the fruit.

"Eating. Do you want some?" – the young woman smiled, pretending to ignore the kid who was already opening his mouth and putting the tongue out to taste the air.

"No, thanks." - she began to pull the boy by the hand - "Come on, little brat."

The boy extended the arms for the tree.

"Waaaaanna!"

"Don't even think about it. I won't climb the tree for you, and I think Veronica won't be nice enough to give you a mango."

"No way." - Veronica tasted one more slice of the fruit - "Hummm! It's really delicious."

"Giiiiime!"

"Forget it." - Marguerite pulled the boy who, irritated, released her hand and run to under the branch where the blond was. He raised his arms while completely stretching on his tiptoes.

"Mamaaaaa!"

The brunette took the child, suspending him to Verônica, who had already lowered herself extending her hand and taking him up. Quickly Tommy stole a piece of mango from her hand, laughing heartily.

"You are a bribed kid." - the heiress said to him, pretending irritation - "Exchanging me by a mango? I'm offended."

"Thanks for taking care of him, Marguerite."

"Believe me, it wasn't my pleasure." - she smiled to herself when noticing that it was fun. She was turning to go back to the treehouse when she listened.

"IIIIIttttttteeeeeee!" - She saw the boy blowing her a kiss.

"Good-bye, brat."

"Bye!" – he repeated.

The blond didn't get tired of kissing the child's cheeks, who hugged her with tenderness.

"You know you're the most important, don't you?"

"Am?"

"Yes."

Daintily he put a piece of the fruit in her mouth. For days he had held back his desire to have her as close to him as before.

They were there for a long time until the moment when Veronica committed a great mistake. She looked fixedly to him, what he interpreted as being the sign to trigger the fighting game. He threw himself towards her strongly and quickly, what caught her completely by surprise.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" – They both screamed at the same time... 'TUM!'

&&&

Ned worried when saw Veronica limping a little, with Tommy clinging to her neck and ran to help her. The journalist extended his arms to the boy who refused it, hugging the blond still stronger.

"What happened to you?"

"We fell of the tree."

"Are you all right?"

"Tommy is fine. As far as I am concerned, I have nothing that a caress doesn't heal." - And it was when she won the most slobbered of the kisses.

* * *

They all spoke and talk animadetely when Challenger insistently cleared his throat. He wanted a minute of attention.

Little by little they were silencing and only Tommy, the small summer's Santa Claus, laugh with no reason. Veronica made him a silence sign that he imitated unconsciously.

"Dear friends... I would like to emphasize that..." - Visibly patient Challenger looked at each one knowing that they all desired their gifts and the dinner - "... that I'll be brief in my speech."

They all sighed alleviated and Challenger smiled.

"...I would like to say that, as all of you already know, we are gathered here to share our hearts and to give thanks by being alive and healthy, what is the most important thing..." - they laughed - "... and united for any challenge that we may need to face. Let's make a toast to this, my dear friends!"

George raised his goblet and was imitated by the others. Tommy also raised his feeding-bottle full with juice.

"...I wish that next year is even better than this one!" - Roxton said.

"Impossible..." - Marguerite said among her teeth, but only Roxton heard, and she laughed - "And that the gifts are also better… May we open them now, please!" - the impatient and curious heiress spoke.

As soon as he pronounced the word 'gift', Tommy was already contorting himself in Ned's arms, who put him on the floor. He ran at the maximum speed his legs could tolerate until reaching the decorated Christmas tree.

He was cheerful when seeing some great decorated packages. Opening his arms, he tried to catch all of them at the same time, until Veronica approached to calm him down.

"I bet that he thinks all of them are for him." - Marguerite murmured.

"Don't be sad, Marguerite, Santa Claus didn't forget your letter."

"And did I write some, Roxton?" – she asked irritated, seeing the hunter smiling moving towards the tree.

"Open it, kid, it's all yours. Open!" - the hunter encouraged him.

"The right thing to do is to open the gifts only on the twenty fifth…" – Summerlee commented - "But considering a package this size… It will be past midnight when he finally manages to open it… ".

"Summerlee, give me that wine goblet." – Ned mentioned, joining the other explorers in laugh.

"What is inside that package?"

Roxton tried to help the little one, who barely got to pull the bow on the top.

"Damn, Marguerite, it's too tight! Tommy would like to see his gift this year yet!"

"Men, how they complain!" – Looking bored, she got closer, pulling the lace that easily went out – in front of a disbeliefed hunter that still looked for a trick coming from the heiress.

Tommy's eyes were getting wider while he just covered his mouth with his hands in a shell. He was as surprised as the others, who waited for his reaction.

"Wow!"

It was a toy car. Very simply built, but well done. It had a wooden basis, with wooden wheels. And there was embellished with a very delicate pillow, fixed as the sitting place, and a pole also covered in a pillow for the boy to hold. There was a rope in the front part to allow the car to be pulled.

"This is for you, Malone".- The hunter laughed handing the rope that was tied in front of the toy.

"Thank you very much!" - Ned answered, already beginning to pull it with Tommy comfortably installed and without stop laughing.

They spent time playing with the toy, and listening to Marguerite repeating who had made the colored cushions.

Summerllee came with another package.

"This is for you, my little friend." - Tommy looked at the botanist with such affection in his eyes that moved the professor. Then unexpectedly he hugged the man strongly and soon afterwards snapped a kiss on his face. Only after that the child directed back his attention to the gift. He sat down in the ground and without any ceremony opened the package: a rake, a shovel and a watering can. He smiled.

"I need an assistant in the vegetable garden." – Arthur completed.

"My turn." - Challenger continued, puffing up his chest. Standing up, Tommy looked upward impressed by the scientist's portliness who looked at him. - "Noble gentleman, what I'm giving to you is not a toy." - He knelt down before the boy. Challenger helped him to open the small package.

"I wish you may find safe and sound paths!" - the scientist smiled, hugging the boy who was hypnotized by the compass' indicator he had just won. Repeating what he had done with the botanist, he hugged the scientist lastly - "Thank you for this gift, little friend." - George whispered by the kid's ear.

Malone and Veronica took the great tow sack, helping the anxious boy to open it. He didn't say a word. He was there motionless, completely static, with his mouth open.

"Tommy!" - Veronica interrupted his thoughts. The child indicated to her to take what he had just won.

"Com." - he said. Then, he made her sit by the bench in front of her painting tripod while he did the same in front of the small painting tripod he had just won. There they stayed together drawing for sometime.

Tommy also gave gifts.

For Summerllee, he gave a small plant that he had pulled, still with the roots dirty in earth.

Challenger won a piece of glass, and the boy taught how the man should use it as a magnifying glass. It was obvious that it didn't work, but the scientist liked it anyway.

Roxton won a handful of pieces of kindling wood and a piece of rope, obviously raw material for his traps.

For Marguerite he gave a sack full of colored stones that the boy affectionately had picked.

Malone received one of the things that Tommy liked more. His favorite spoon. Of course that in the day after the kid would take it back.

Veronica was touched when receiving a sheet of paper with impressions of the boy's hands and feet besides a lot of colored scribbles.

The delivery of gifts among the adults was fast. Before that, they found stones destined to each one of the explorers, but without sender identification. Even Tommy received one whose format reminded a lion. Nobody commented on, but they all suspected about the originator being somebody with long dark curly hair, clear light eyes and mysterious habits.

Marguerite received from Malone and Veronica a string with a stone as pendant. Summerllee designed and Challenger moulded a pair of earrings for her.

Except for Roxton, the heiress gave a shirt for each one of the other men, done in rustic fabric that she had gotten with the friends from the Zanga village. For Veronica she made an oil-lamp made by clay in substitution of the one Tommy had broken in an access of jealousy.

Roxton and Veronica laughed when they give the same thing to each other: a hunting knife. The hunter still gave Challenger a small shelf with holes for placement of test tubes, and offered to Malone a leather bag for his diaries, and a pipe-case made of leather to Arthur.

Summerllee gave dehydrated flowers the two touched ladies of the house. To Marguerite he offered a daisy that he kept with himself since his Anna had passwed away, and to Veronica he gave a beautiful and rare edelweiss that he had since his adolescence. To Challenger he gave a delicious bottle of liqueur made with native fruits, and he received from him a new stock of tobacco for the tobacco-pipe.

Veronica gave Challenger one of her favorite books, to what she had made a new cover and wrote an inscription, whose content he preferred to maintain as a secret among them both, pact that was sealed with a delicate hug.

For Ned she gave a picture of him. For days she had wakened up in the middle of the night and under the tenuous light of the lantern she made a drawing of the young man while he was sleeping.

Malone put Tommy in the ground, shook his hair and spoke.

"Go to Roxton, kid." - The boy smiled and ran to the hunter, who turned him upside down before accommodating the boy laughing on his lap.

The journalist took Veronica's hand and conducted her to the center of the main room. She looked intrigued and he smiled to her.

"Don't leave this spot, ok?"

He went until a corner and from a gap he removed a small wood box. Then he came back followed by the curious eyes of all his friends.

He stopped in front of the woman, holding her hands. He sweated copiously. She worried about him.

"Ned? Are you alright?"

"No... But I will be... I hope so... Ok, I can do it." - he kept the box closed - "You know, I thought a lot about what I could give you this Christmas, but I think I was selfish by keeping the hope that you would offer me the best of the gifts…" – all of them looked the scene without understanding it.

Ned opened the box. He looked straight to Veronica eyes, who was static, showing absolutely no reaction.

"Do you?"

She looked at him, touched. She noticed he had, by himself, a little bit clumsily, twisted the plain leather strings as the Zanga tradition would tell.

After a pause, she took one of the strings and, without a word, tied it by Malone's wrist.

Challenger whispered in Marguerite's ear.

"Are they doing what I think they are doing?"

"They are marrying in the Zanga's way, George. I think."

Ned tied the other string to the girl's wrist, and they stayed there holding each other hands. None of them could avert their eyes from one another.

"Come on, Malone." – Roxton interrupted - "Don't beat around the bush."

"Kiss her." – Summerlee completed.

Only then they finally smiled shyly, and kissed under the sounds of the _bravos_ from their friends and Tommy's animated clapping.

* * *

After the wonderful dinner, Tommy went to sleep; Challenger and Summerlee savored a cup of coffee where they had sprinkled some drops of cognac.

"What are you thinking about, Arthur?"

"Probably the same you are thinking about." - the botanist answered, with a nostalgic glance.

"My Jessie."

"My children and grandchildren."

"Have you already imagined, Arthur? A Christmas in the plateau. Roxton, Marguerite, Malone, Veronica, Tommy, me, you, your family, Jessie." - Challenger seemed to imagine the scene.

"It would be wonderful, my friend. Who knows… Maybe some day."

"A toast to our families and the family that we conquered here."

Arthur raised the cup.

"Merry Christmas, George."

* * *

Alone in the base of the treehouse, Roxton contemplated the sky and breathed the pure air, while savoring a liqueur. He thought about how much he would miss it there if someday they came to find an exit of the plateau.

"A penny for your thoughts, Lord Roxton."

He turned and could not contain a sigh when saw Marguerite arriving, framed by the moonlight.

"I was thinking, miss Krux, that I don't remember having received a gift from you."

"What a coincidence. I also don't remember having received some from you."

They smiled at each other, and once again Roxton admired her beauty under the moonlight.

"What do you have there?" - she asked.

"Liqueur... a good one..."

"Oh, yes..."

"Do you care for some?"

"Me?"

"If you drink it, I will tell you what I was thinking about."

"Are you sure it doesn't have any poison?"

"It will just make you submissive to my wishes all night long."

"Wow!" - They laughed - "I accept the challenge - at most it will provoke a bellyache."

He smiled while she carefully sat down by his side. _'As a lady' _he thought.

"Oh, I forgot the cup! I'll be back in a minute!"

"Wait." - Roxton held her by the arm, offering his cup. - "It won't be necessary."

Marguerite made a funny face.

"Why not? Aren't you afraid that I come to know all your secrets?" – she joked.

"I think you already know the most important one."

John began to move closer, while she walked backwards. She stopped, leaning to the trunk.

He moved away a black hair curl that was preventing his full view of the white heiress' bosom, and looked straight to her eyes. Marguerite felt a shiver down her spine.

Their glances interlocked and there was a bold brightness in each one of them. John slowly wet his finger in the goblet and put it lightly over the heiress' lips, who savoured each drop of it.

She took the goblet and threw it to the ground, saying:

"I don't wanna to drink from the globlet."

Softly, John Roxton was pulled by the well-ironed shirt to closer to her.

They kissed each other passionately, and the emotion of finding out their feelings at that moment was more than what they could bear.

"Merry Christmas, Marguerite." - she smiled at his whispered words.

She would answer when he pulled her by the waist to even closer to him and kissed her again, deeply and even more passionately. They both were abandoning themselves to the momentarily emotions, and were not willing to stop anywhen soon.

"Do you want me to get your gift now?" - she asked him saucily.

"Do you want me to get yours?"

"It can wait."

"I think this Christmas will be the best of all." - She whispered before being taken again soon in the hunter's arms.

* * *

Hugged in the couch, Malone and Veronica were alone in the balcony for a long time.

"He had a good time today."

"He's completely exhausted with all the excitement."

"And you? Are you happy?"

"More than ever." - He looked at her caressing the young woman's face - "I could never imagine that I would come so far to have my own family." - he hugged the girl tenderly - "Shall we go inside?"

"Hum, hum."

In each other arms they entered their bedroom, already anticipating the end of a perfect night.

"Ned?" - she said, interrupting the kiss.

"What?"

"Look."

Malone turned.

"I don't believe."

With his arms and legs opened, Tommy slept right in the middle of the bed.

"Ned." - Veronica was vexed.

"Closes your eyes and stay right here." - the young man ordered, already closing the door.

In a while he came back smiling.

"Don't open your eyes." - He took her by the hand, pulling the woman – "Ok, you can open your eyes now."

Veronica laughed when saw the ground of the small corridor between the cradle and the wall of Tommy's room occupied by a bed quilt, a sheet and pillows.

"Do you think there is enough space for both of us?" - she asked, coming closer to him and embracing his neck with her arms.

"Hmm... I'm sure there is plenty of space." – He answered with an ardent kiss, already bringing her with him to the ground.

* * *

With all the double bed only for him, even sleeping, Tommy couldn't stop smiling.

"Are you happy, little one?" - The enormous gentleman of white beards, red cap and a kind glance asked him in his dreams.

"Yeah…" - spoke the asleep boy.

**THE END**

_OBS: Santa Claus was described as an old man of white beards and rosy cheeks in a steep sled for eight reindeers in 1822 for Clement Clark Moore in a poem today known as "Twas the Night Before Christmas". Santa Claus' symbol was used soon by the commercial publicity. In 1931, the Coke ordered artist Habdon Sundblom the remodeling of Santa Claus of Nast to turn him into a closer character. Sundblom was inspired by a retired salesperson and Santa Claus that we know was born like this._

_**Boas Festas e Feliz Ano Novo, Season's greetings and Happy New Year, Felices Pasquas Y felices ano Nuevo, Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo, Sung Tan Chuk Há, Sretan Bozic i Nova Godina, Glædelig Jul, Joyeux Noel, Froehliche Weihnachten, Kala Christouyenna, Selamat Hari Natal, Cestitamo Bozic, Buone Feste Natalizie, Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto, God Jul, Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia, Feliz Navidad, Sarbatori FERICITE**, **MERY KWANZAA POZDREVLYAYU s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom, hAPPY HANUKKAH, God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt År, Chung Mung Giang Sinh.**_


End file.
